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Fire stations top city's $194-million project wish list

More than $194 million worth of projects — including three new fire stations and major investments into roads and at W.K. Kellogg Airport — have made their way into the city of Battle Creek's latest capital improvement program.

More than $194 million worth of projects — including three new fire stations and major investments into roads and at W.K. Kellogg Airport — have made their way into the city of Battle Creek's latest capital improvement program.

The program, which is used to plan for major infrastructure projects and equipment upgrades over the next six years, calls for $33.2 million worth of new projects. About $69 million of the city's top-priority projects do not have a funding source identified.

Updated annually, the plan does not mean approval of funding or completion of a project. Its development is required under state law.

City Manager Rebecca Fleury said while it's often described as a wish list, the city staff works hard to craft the program. This year is the second time the city has used its priority-based budgeting tool to rank the projects, and for the first time each item lists whether it fits with the master plan.

A joint workshop with the City and Planning commissions was held Thursday to discuss the plan. Commissioners will vote at a later meeting.

"We wish we could fund it all, but while we can't, it's important that we put our needs in place so we're planning for that in the future as funds become available," Fleury said Thursday.

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Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury, center, explains to commissioners how this year's capital improvement program was developed. On her left is Finance Director Linda Morrison and on her right is Planning Manager Christine Zuzga.(Photo: Jennifer Bowman/The Enquirer)

Last year's plan called for $226 million worth of projects. It included a new police headquarters, for which city commissioners last year approved a $32 million bond issue to pay for its construction.

The most recent plan's costliest project is the building of three new fire stations, estimated to cost $24 million. Though currently unfunded, the program aims to spend $7 million next fiscal year and the remainder during 2021-22.

Under the plan, two stations — 195 E. Michigan Ave. and 222 Cliff St. — would be combined and housed in a new headquarters. Crews at 8 S. 20th St. and the airport would be combined and housed at a new facility on the east side of the airport. A new facility for Station 2, now at 145 N. Washington Ave., also would be built.

Nearly $20 million in road projects has been planned. It includes the city's annual resurfacing and crack-filling work, but also calls for resurfacing of parts of several roads, including: McCamly Street; Roosevelt and Helmer roads; Capital and North avenues; and Union, Elm, Goguac, Main, Roosevelt and Kendall streets.

The plan also calls for $12.3 million in investments at the airport, including taxiway work, signs and the reconstruction of a hangar area.